When devices become too invasive

The whopper burger from the Burger King fastfood francise at the Foreshore. Picture Ian Landsberg

New York - A new Burger King TV commercial is designed to
trigger Google’s voice-controlled speakers in viewers’ homes, adding a wrinkle
to the debate over whether such devices have become too invasive.

In the 15-second ad, a Burger King employee says, “OK,
Google. What is the Whopper burger?” If viewers are watching the commercial
near a Google Home gadget, the “OK Google” prompt will cause the device to read
the Wikipedia entry for the sandwich. The TV spots are airing nationally
starting Wednesday on networks such as Spike, MTV and Comedy Central.

The commercial extends Burger King’s record of trying to
push the envelope with its marketing. In 2015, the restaurant chain sought a
“truce” with rival McDonald’s Corp. by offering to create a peace burger called
the McWhopper. It also brought back its deliberately creepy King mascot in
recent years. The character loomed in the background during the much-hyped
boxing match of Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao in 2015.

The Google stunt could renew concerns about whether
voice-activated technology has unintended consequences. Amazon.com Inc.’s Echo
devices and Samsung Electronics's smart televisions have faced
criticism from privacy groups over the extent of the conversations and data
that they track.

The Echo, which answers to “Alexa,” also lets consumers buy
products with quick voice commands - creating the potential for accidental
orders.

Trailing Alexa

Burger King, owned by Restaurant Brands International,
said it’s not collaborating with Alphabet’s Google on the ads. But the
plug could give a boost to a device that is playing catch-up with the
Echo. Analysts estimate that Google shipped about 500 000 units in the first
quarter after the Home product debuted late last year.

“It’s a cool way, and a bold way, to surprise our
guests,” said Jose Cil, president of the Burger King brand. The company
believes the interaction will be “very positive,” he said.

A broader US restaurant slump is forcing restaurant
chains like Burger King to vie more fiercely for customers. Some have
introduced new menu items and value deals, while others have increased
advertising to boost customer traffic. McDonald’s began offering $1 and $2
drink specials this month, while Wendy’s has been remodeling stores and
touting its fresh beef.

Burger King also rolled out a new version of its chicken
sandwich last month, and it enlisted “haters” - people who criticised the old
sandwich on social media - to market the revamped item.

“Burger King has been doing creative, innovative things
for a long time,” Cil said. “It’s something that we feel strongly about.”